The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-05-19
WAKE COUNTY FARMERS IN
STITUTE.
RALEIGH, May II, 1887.

RALEIGH, May IL, 1887.
At 3:l5 p. M, Metropolitan Hall
was we'll filled with farmers and spec
tators. The Black Diamond Quartette
appeared on the stage and sang in the
familiar strains of the old time, "Away
down on the Swanee River"
DR.. w. c. Dabney, introduced Rev
W. G. Norman, who opened the In
stitute with prayer.
DR.. Dabney then introduced the
''handsome but bashful'' Mayor Of the
city, Hon. A. Thompson, who extend
ed hearty welcome to the farmers
present to the hospitalities of the city
and did it very handsomely.
DR.. Dabney introduced DR.. D. R.
Parker as chairman of the Institute,
who proceeded by the shortest cut to
his business, and gave plain and
lively talk to the farmers, impressing
his hearers with the important truth
that they must rely on themselves and
on their own exertion. The DR.. said
that after the magnificent display of
cattle which we had seen today it was
a fitting introduction to the exercises
to hear talk on ''The Profits of the
Cow" and he would call on Dr. R. H.
Lewis, of Raleigh, to speak to the
subject. DR.. Lewis, although called
on unexpectedly, came forward and ar
gued that stock Of some kind was an
absolutely and imperative necessity in
successful farming. He viewed the
subject from the standpoint of the or
binary farmer and he thought when
accessible that dairy cattle pay better
than beef cattle. lie went into figures
based on his own experience and
showed that the product of a good
grade COW ought to reach $55 per
year. One of the practical difficulties
in dairying on a small scale is a supply
of cool water, but when the herd of
dairy COWS number as many as twenty
five it will pay to use a recent inven-
tion for separating the milk from the
cream while it is yet warm. After all,
much depends on the care and feed of
stock. Ensilage IS the thing. 1t is far
better than grass. Grass gives two
tons, a fair yield; have made fifteen
tons of ensilage on an acre of land
which would not make bale of cot
ton. Three tons of ensilage is equal
in feeding qualities to one ton of hay.
[, therefore, made an equivalent of
.tfve tons of hay per acre, and on the
same land which, in grass, would not
have made me more than two tons of
grass. I have tried many crops for
it, but have come to use corn as best
Of all. Of pea vines I got 27 tons on
seven acres, when could have raised
l40 tons of corn.
Stewards book on feeding stock, [
would commend to all farmers inter-
ested in stock. My dairyman, who
came from England, says corn makes
the best ensilage Sow it in rows six
to eight inches apart. Cultivation is
very simply. The silo is equally sim
pie. 1t is a box on or under the
ground, and with a large diagram
which he had prepared, showed how
to build one.
The "after-talks" were lively and
interesting and question on question
was piled on to the Dr. and he gave
ready and quick answers.
DIR. Dabney gave some figures to
show that every we'll fed COW, yields
in manure value equivalent to ton
of guano. DR.. Lewis said that his cat
tie preferred ensilage to any other
food. Capt. B. P. Williamson, of
Wake, furnished an essay on
THE GRASSES,
which will be given to our readers in
these columns. It is so thoroughly
practical and plain, and withal such a
valuable contribution to the discussion
OF this most important subject that
we feel all our readers will be inter
ested and profted.
Mr.. Whitney, Superintendent of the
Experiment Farm, came forward and
exhibited about twenty varieties of
grasses from the farm. The Italian
rye grass is one Of the earliest seeded
in Sebtember and high enough to give
good grazing in February. Cut two
weeks ago and yielded at the rate of
two tons per acre, and is now about |